


Dismounted

by VampirePaladin



Category: Suikoden III
Genre: Gen, Harm to Animals, Pre-Canon, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-21
Updated: 2017-10-21
Packaged: 2019-01-20 15:04:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12435294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VampirePaladin/pseuds/VampirePaladin
Summary: Salome always dismounts his horse now before battle.  The reason for that can be traced to his first battle as a knight.





	Dismounted

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AceQueenKing](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AceQueenKing/gifts).



> I haven't played this game in years and couldn't find my copy in time to canon review when I came up with this treat idea. I hope it isn't too wildly OOC.

It was his first real battle, well his first one as a Knight of Zexen. He’d been through so much training. There were many hours as a squire that he’d spent listening to the tales of the of the old knights that he’d been serving under. Nothing could have prepared him for this as he clung to his horse’s saddle.

Men, and some women, were screaming all around him. Everything felt unreal as he watched the runes rip through people on both sides. He could only watch numbly as the knight next to him was dropped to the ground with an arrow that seemed to come out of nowhere. 

It wasn’t until there was a warrior right in front of him, swinging an overly large sword that Salome even recalled the mace that was in his hands. His mind dumb with fear, he swung. While his mind was useless his body recalled the drills he’d been forced to do for hour after hour. The mace hit the man in the head, caving it in and dropping him to the ground.

He never even noticed the magic beginning to form on the muddy ground beneath his horse’s hooves. When his horse began to gallop as best it could in the slippery mud, he struggled to turn it back around. The reins kept on bouncing out of his grip, and no matter how much he pressed down in his stirrups or called for the horse to stop it kept on going.

The horse bucked, throwing Salome loose and out into safety as the fire spell hit. 

There was screaming as he watched the flames engulf his horse. It was only when his throat began to hurt that he realized it was him that was doing the screaming. When the flames cleared there was his horse, lying on the ground, smelling of burnt flesh.

Salome could only stare. The horse, one he’d never encountered before today, had been trying to get them both to safety. He just sat there as the battle continued on, no one noticing the shell-shocked young knight.

The horse’s chest rose and fell.

Salome pushed himself up and to his feet, despite his armor and the mud trying to pull him back down. He rushed to the horse’s side and dropped. There was pain in her eyes, so much pain that she couldn’t even cry out.

He began to chant the words of magic as power grew in his water rune. He couldn’t do much yet, just a few healing spells, but it was all that he had. He let the magic fill him up until it flowed out of him like a burst damn.

Some of the horse’s injuries healed, but not all of them, not even most of them.

“You need to get up,” Salome said.”

The horse began to struggle. She was still weak, still hurting, but she was fighting and soon she was up on her hooves, but there was no way that she’d be able to support his weight right now, let alone function as a warhorse.

“Don’t worry. You got me out of the fire spell. I’ll get you out of the battle.” Salome began to look around. Down by a strand of trees the fighting was less intense. He took the reins of the horse in his free hand. 

With a clarity the he’d never felt before he swung his mace as a solider attempted to run the two of them through with a spear.

~

Many years had passed since Salome’s first battle. He had grown to become one of the greatest tactical minds of his country and a very well respected knight.

The Six Great Knights of Zexen were heading to their stables at the Brass Castle to retrieve their mounts before heading out.

When Salome saw his old girl he gave her a pat on the muzzle and offered her a carrot. The horse nuzzled him with affection.

“I’ve never seen a warhorse so fond of her rider,” Chris said.

“We’ve been together since my first battle,” Salome said.

“That’s all well and good, but don’t you think you should start using a horse that isn’t a cripple? It’s a bit annoying how you always have to fight on foot,” Borus said.

“Trust me, there is no better horse than Angel. She’ll have my back when it matters the most,” Salome said.


End file.
